Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals In one month we’ll find out the champions of the Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals but who do you think they’ll be? Discover the candidates competing for silverware in Korea! Chinese duo XU Xin (1stseed) and FAN Zhendong (2nd) will enter the World Tour Grand Finals as favourites. XU Xin is a two-time WTGF champion (2012 and 2013) while World no. 1 FAN Zhendong will be defending his crown after last year’s success in Astana. Despite withdrawing from both Swedish and Austrian Opens through injury five-time WTGF champion MA Long (3rd) is fighting hard to make a return from his knee injury in time. A gold medallist back in 2005 Germany’s Timo BOLL (16th) qualified with the narrowest of margins while Dimitrij OVTCHAROV missed out for only the second time since 2007. 15-year-old rising star Tomokazu HARIMOTO (5th) will be looking to boost his burgeoning reputation Korea’s JANG Woojin (6th) is the host nation’s biggest hope of glory and Brazil’s Hugo CALDERANO (8th) is aiming to push on since becoming the first Latin American player to enter the World Top 10. WANG Manyu (1st) collected the most points (1 856) on the 2018 ITTF World Tour. The 19-year-old talent is seeking her first career World Tour Grand Finals crown. ZHU Yuling (7th) is World no. 1 and looking to regain the WTGF title she won in 2016. CHEN Meng (6th) is the defending Women’s Singles champion and enters the tournament straight off the back of winning last week’s Austrian Open. It has been an impressive year for 18-year-old Mima ITO (4th) who is full of confidence having won 12 of her last 17 matches against top Chinese opposition. 2014 champion Kasumi ISHIKAWA (2nd) is Japan’s other outstanding candidate. Having missed out on the 2017 World Tour Grand Finals experienced Chinese duo LIU Shiwen and DING Ning are back in it this year. LIU Shiwen (3rd) remains the only player in history to have won three consecutive WTGF titles (2011 2012 2013) while DING Ning (5th) celebrated victory in 2015. Host nation Korea topped the charts in both the Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles on the 2018 ITTF World Tour: LEE Sangsu will partner JEOUNG Youngsik in the former category and JEON Jihee in the latter. The Mixed Doubles have provided arguably the greatest success story of 2018 beyond the realms of table tennis as JANG Woojin (of South Korea) and CHA Hyo Sim (of North Korea) ensure a Unified Korea team presence in Incheon. A formidable force also in the Doubles scene Mima ITO celebrated gold four times on the 2018 ITTF World Tour meaning she forms a top seed partnership with Hina HAYATA. Of China’s three Women’s Doubles pairings CHEN Xingtong and SUN Yingsha (2nd) are the highest ranked after they claimed three titles this year. Meanwhile in the Men’s Doubles Japanese pair and defending champions Masataka MORIZONO and Yuya OSHIMA (2nd) are aiming to repeat their triumphs of 2015 and 2017. They too will face stern competition from China in the form of MA Long and XU Xin (3rd). WTGF Players’ List WTGF Event Page ITTF Social Media: Twitter Facebook Instagram Youtube
TTCLM: Successful night for Polish clubs
Round 4: Dekorglass Dzialdowo – Stella Sport La Romagne 3:0 K.S. Dartom Bogoria – Angers 3:2 Two Polish clubs have recorded important wins in the TTCLM Round 4 matches held tonight November 15th – Group A: Dekorglass Dzialdowo – Stella Sport La Romagne 3:0 Group C: K.S. Dartom Bogoria – Angers 3:2. Dekorglass Dzialdowo beat Stella Sport La Romagne in straight matches what could be decisive in case that both sides have same win-loss record after Round 6 (French team won 3:1 home game). Taku KAKAKIWA prevailed against Adrian CRISAN in the opener WANG Yang was better than CHEN Tianyuan while Jiri VRABLIK beat Daniel GORAK. Bogoria has improved its win-loss record to 3-1 in Group C defeating Angers after full five encounters. French club beat Polish side 3:0 in the previous round but now stands at 2-2. It was a good team work of home team as Panagiotis GIONIS. Kaii YOSHIDA and Pavel SIRUCEK took one point each while Jon PERSSON brought both wins to Angers. SIRUCEK managed to beat Jens LUNDQVIST in the fifth match in spite of losing opening set. TTCLM Round 4 GROUP B Dekorglass Dzialdowo – Stella Sport La Romagne 3:0 Taku TAKAKIWA – Adrian CRISAN 3:0 (11:5 11:4 11:6) WANG Yang – CHEN Tianyuan 3:1 (9:11 11:9 16:14 11:8) Jiri VRABLIK – Daniel GORAK 3:0 (11:4 11:4 11:7) GROUP C K.S. Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki – Vaillante Sports Angers TT 3:2 Panagiotis GIONIS – Jens LUNDQVIST 3:1 (7:11 11:3 11:6 11:5) Pavel SIRUCEK – Jon PERSSON 1:3 (11:8 3:11 11:13 7:11) Kaii YOSHIDA – Joao GERALDO 3:2 (6:11 11:7 8:11 11:5 11:8) Panagiotis GIONIS – Jon PERSSON 2:3 (14:12 11:13 14:12 4:11 4:11) Pavel SIRUCEK – Jens LUNDQVIST 3:1 (5:11 11:7 11:8 11:6)
Busy weekend in ETTU CUP
This weekend the battles in 16 matches of Men’s and Women’s ETTU Cup will fire up the Europe from Spain to Russia. Third Round already starts on Friday. In Men’s ETTU Cup Croatia’s STK Starr Varaždin will host Belgium’s Logis Auderghem TT French Chartres ASTT awaits ASD Marcozzi Cagliari whilst Istres Tennis de Table will play against Borges Vall. On Saturday Turkey’s Fenerbahce Sport Club hosts Cajasur Priego TM and Fortune Kyiv will play against second Turkish representative Turk Telekom Ankara Sport Club. On Sunday Leka Enea Tenis de Mesa will meet Ping Pong Club Villeneuvois DeBoer Taverzo will play against SF SKK El Nino Praha and TTC Sokah Hoboken vs.SK Vydrany. Logis Auderghem Marcozzi Cagliari Turk Telekom Ankara Sport Club Ping Pong Club Villeneuvois and SF SKK El Nino Praha already “survived” two rounds of qualifications stages. In Women’s ETTU Cup on Friday STK Aquaestil Duga Resa will play against TT Moravsky Krumlov Tecnigen Linares vs. Leka Enea Tenis de Mesa and CP Lyssois Lille Métropole vs. Sparvägen TTC. On Saturday TMK-TAGMET Taganrog will meet A.S.D. Tennistavolo Norbello Fenerbahce Spor Kulubu will play against TTV Lybrae Heerlen and the last three pairings are Villach vs. Arteal Tenis de Mesa Kazan vs. Hotel-Museo Patria Chica Priego TM and ALCL TT Grand-Quevilly vs. DT Roodt – Syre. Sparvägen Tennistavolo Norbello and Lybrae Heerlen booked their places in the Third Round after being required to play in the Cup from the opening stage.
Ostrava extends TTCLM champion to full distance
TTCLM Round 4: TTC Ostrava 2016 – Borussia Dusseldorf 2:3 Reigning TTCLM champion 11-times winner Borussia Dusseldorf has booked its place in the 2018/19 quarter-finals as it beat away TTC Ostrava 2016 3:2. It was fourth consecutive win in Group A of German side while Czech Republic’s club still has no victory although they showed strong team spirit against one of favourites in the ongoing season. Timo BOLL has provided two points for guests improving his season’s win-loss record to 5-0. He overcame Petr KORBEL and Tomas TREGLER. Borussia’s third win was recorded by Anton KALLBERG who prevailed against KORBEL in the decisive fifth encounter. Tomas TREGLER beat KALLBERG in the opener while Ostrava’s gifted player Simon BELIK upset Omar ASSAR in the third clash. TTCLM Round 4 Group A TTC Ostrava 2016 – Borussia Dusseldorf 2:3 Tomas TREGLER – Anton KÄLLBERG 3:2 (11:8 5:11 11:3 9:11 14:12) Petr KORBEL – Timo BOLL 0:3 (4:11 8:11 7:11) Simon BELIK – Omar ASSAR 3:1 (12:10 11:7 5:11 11:9) Tomas TREGLER – Timo BOLL 0:3 (8:11 2:11 3:11) Petr KORBEL – Anton KÄLLBERG 1:3 (8:11 6:11 11:6 8:11)
Ostrava extends TTCLM champion to full distance
TTCLM Round 4: TTC Ostrava 2016 – Borussia Dusseldorf 2:3 Reigning TTCLM champion 11-times winner Borussia Dusseldorf has booked its place in the 2018/19 quarter-finals as it beat away TTC Ostrava 2016 3:2. It was fourth consecutive win in Group A of German side while Czech Republic’s club still has no victory although they showed strong team spirit against one of favourites in the ongoing season. Timo BOLL has provided two points for guests improving his season’s win-loss record to 5-0. He overcame Petr KORBEL and Tomas TREGLER. Borussia’s third win was recorded by Anton KALLBERG who prevailed against KORBEL in the decisive fifth encounter. Tomas TREGLER beat KALLBERG in the opener while Ostrava’s gifted player Simon BELIK upset Omar ASSAR in the third clash. TTCLM Round 4 Group A TTC Ostrava 2016 – Borussia Dusseldorf 2:3 Tomas TREGLER – Anton KÄLLBERG 3:2 (11:8 5:11 11:3 9:11 14:12) Petr KORBEL – Timo BOLL 0:3 (4:11 8:11 7:11) Simon BELIK – Omar ASSAR 3:1 (12:10 11:7 5:11 11:9) Tomas TREGLER – Timo BOLL 0:3 (8:11 2:11 3:11) Petr KORBEL – Anton KÄLLBERG 1:3 (8:11 6:11 11:6 8:11)
TTCLM: Top 3 seeds continue unbeaten Reigning champion Borussia and two Russian clubs Orenburg and UMMC have 3-0 win-loss record. After three rounds at the 2018/19 Table Tennis Champions League Men top three seeds continue unbeaten reigning champion a
Round 4 to be held from Wednesday to Friday: Reigning champion Borussia and two Russian clubs Orenburg and UMMC have 3-0 win-loss record. Liam PITCHFORD returns to TTCLM after his success in Linz After three rounds at the 2018/19 Table Tennis Champions League Men top three seeds continue unbeaten reigning champion and record holder with 11 titles Borussia Dusseldorf (no.1) four-time winner Fakel Gazprom Orenburg (no. 2) and 2011/12 runner-up TTSC UMMC (no. 3). Borussia travels to Czech Republic to face lowest placed club in Group A TTC Ostrava 2016. German side targets fourth consecutive win in order to book its place among the best eight European clubs while host team will do its best to upset TTCLM record holder. Three weeks ago in the Round 3 Borussia beat Ostrava 3:0 (9-1). Other Group A clash will see battle for the second spot between AS Pontoise Cergy (2-1 win-loss record) and Sporting Clube de Portugal (1-2). French side won their mutual clash 3:0. Three players from this group have 3-0 win-loss record so far Timo BOLL and Kristian KARLSSON from Bourssia as well as Tristan FLORE from Pontoise. Russian club UMMC the 2011/12 TTCLM runner-up has its best ever opening in this competition recording 3:0 win in each of three rounds in Group B. Jonathan GROTH and Andrej GACINA have 3-0 win-loss record each while Alexander SHIBAEV stands at 2-0. CHEN Tian Yuan (4-1 only loss from GROTH) was a key man of Stella Sport La Romagne (2-1) in the first three rounds providing two points in the victory against Dekorglass (1-2) three weeks ago. “We have never had such start in European Champions League: three victories by a score of 3:0. Certainly it makes me happy” stated UMMC Coach Tatiana KUTERGINA. Most unpredictable group (C) is composed by three clubs with 2-1 win-loss record Angers Saarbrucken and Bogoria while Roskilde has 0-3. German side travels to Denmark while K.S. Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki hosts Vaillante Sports Angers TT after clear win (3:0) of French team in the Round 3. Former 4-times TTCLM winner Orenburg is determined to improve its winning streak in Group D what would secure them place in the quarter-final stage. They play against 2016 runner-up Eslovs currently third placed team (1-2). Liam PITCHFORD will try to push Hennebont to its very first victory against Post SV Muhlhausen after his fantastic performances in the recently held Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Platinum LIEBHERR Austrian Open in Linz where he reached semi-finals by beating Timo BOLL. Mühlhausen‘s best player so far Daniel HABESOHN (3-1win-loss record) is aware that his side has a good chance to reach quarter-finals in its very first season in the TTCLM: “We are in a quite good position now to reach the TTCLM quarterfinals. With 2 wins 1 loss we are very motivated and confident for the 2nd part of the group stage. All of our team have now a very good shape and so we have a lot of possibilities to set the team.” Coach of Post SV Mühlhausen Erik SCHREYER explains: “With this second place in TTCLM-group D we are very happy at the moment. But it will be a hard fight to stay on this position because Hennebont and Eslövs are both away games. My players are in a very good shape specially Daniel HABESOHN is at the moment in my opinion one of the best players in Europe. If we should end up second in the group then entering the quarterfinals would be a historic moment. Then everything is possible.” TTCLM Round 4 GROUP A TTC Ostrava 2016 – Borussia Düsseldorf (Nov 14 18:00 CET) AS Pontoise Cergy – Sporting Clube De Portugal (Nov 16 19:30 CET) GROUP B K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo – Stella Sport La Romagne (Nov 15 18:00 CET) SPG Walter Wels – TTSC UMMC (Nov 16 18:00 CET) GROUP C K.S. Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki – Vaillante Sports Angers TT (Nov 15 18:30 CET) Roskilde Bordtennis BTK61 – FC Saarbrücken Tischtennis (Nov 16 18:30 CET) GROUP D Eslovs Ai Bordtennis – TTC Fakel Gazprom (Nov 16 19:00 CET) G.V. Hennebont T.T. – Post SV Mühlhausen (Nov 16 20:00 CET)
TTCLM: Top 3 seeds continue unbeaten Reigning champion Borussia and two Russian clubs Orenburg and UMMC have 3-0 win-loss record. After three rounds at the 2018/19 Table Tennis Champions League Men top three seeds continue unbeaten reigning champion a
Round 4 to be held from Wednesday to Friday: Reigning champion Borussia and two Russian clubs Orenburg and UMMC have 3-0 win-loss record. Liam PITCHFORD returns to TTCLM after his success in Linz After three rounds at the 2018/19 Table Tennis Champions League Men top three seeds continue unbeaten reigning champion and record holder with 11 titles Borussia Dusseldorf (no.1) four-time winner Fakel Gazprom Orenburg (no. 2) and 2011/12 runner-up TTSC UMMC (no. 3). Borussia travels to Czech Republic to face lowest placed club in Group A TTC Ostrava 2016. German side targets fourth consecutive win in order to book its place among the best eight European clubs while host team will do its best to upset TTCLM record holder. Three weeks ago in the Round 3 Borussia beat Ostrava 3:0 (9-1). Other Group A clash will see battle for the second spot between AS Pontoise Cergy (2-1 win-loss record) and Sporting Clube de Portugal (1-2). French side won their mutual clash 3:0. Three players from this group have 3-0 win-loss record so far Timo BOLL and Kristian KARLSSON from Bourssia as well as Tristan FLORE from Pontoise. Russian club UMMC the 2011/12 TTCLM runner-up has its best ever opening in this competition recording 3:0 win in each of three rounds in Group B. Jonathan GROTH and Andrej GACINA have 3-0 win-loss record each while Alexander SHIBAEV stands at 2-0. CHEN Tian Yuan (4-1 only loss from GROTH) was a key man of Stella Sport La Romagne (2-1) in the first three rounds providing two points in the victory against Dekorglass (1-2) three weeks ago. “We have never had such start in European Champions League: three victories by a score of 3:0. Certainly it makes me happy” stated UMMC Coach Tatiana KUTERGINA. Most unpredictable group (C) is composed by three clubs with 2-1 win-loss record Angers Saarbrucken and Bogoria while Roskilde has 0-3. German side travels to Denmark while K.S. Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki hosts Vaillante Sports Angers TT after clear win (3:0) of French team in the Round 3. Former 4-times TTCLM winner Orenburg is determined to improve its winning streak in Group D what would secure them place in the quarter-final stage. They play against 2016 runner-up Eslovs currently third placed team (1-2). Liam PITCHFORD will try to push Hennebont to its very first victory against Post SV Muhlhausen after his fantastic performances in the recently held Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Platinum LIEBHERR Austrian Open in Linz where he reached semi-finals by beating Timo BOLL. Mühlhausen‘s best player so far Daniel HABESOHN (3-1win-loss record) is aware that his side has a good chance to reach quarter-finals in its very first season in the TTCLM: “We are in a quite good position now to reach the TTCLM quarterfinals. With 2 wins 1 loss we are very motivated and confident for the 2nd part of the group stage. All of our team have now a very good shape and so we have a lot of possibilities to set the team.” Coach of Post SV Mühlhausen Erik SCHREYER explains: “With this second place in TTCLM-group D we are very happy at the moment. But it will be a hard fight to stay on this position because Hennebont and Eslövs are both away games. My players are in a very good shape specially Daniel HABESOHN is at the moment in my opinion one of the best players in Europe. If we should end up second in the group then entering the quarterfinals would be a historic moment. Then everything is possible.” TTCLM Round 4 GROUP A TTC Ostrava 2016 – Borussia Düsseldorf (Nov 14 18:00 CET) AS Pontoise Cergy – Sporting Clube De Portugal (Nov 16 19:30 CET) GROUP B K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo – Stella Sport La Romagne (Nov 15 18:00 CET) SPG Walter Wels – TTSC UMMC (Nov 16 18:00 CET) GROUP C K.S. Dartom Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki – Vaillante Sports Angers TT (Nov 15 18:30 CET) Roskilde Bordtennis BTK61 – FC Saarbrücken Tischtennis (Nov 16 18:30 CET) GROUP D Eslovs Ai Bordtennis – TTC Fakel Gazprom (Nov 16 19:00 CET) G.V. Hennebont T.T. – Post SV Mühlhausen (Nov 16 20:00 CET)
Darya KISEL shined on home soil
2018 ITTF Challenge BELGOSSTRAKH Belarus open Top seeded player on duty in the qualification stage of the 2018 ITTF Challenge Belgosstrakh Belarus open Alexander SHIBAEV of Russia successfully concluded the opening day at the tournament. He beat Kiryl BARABANOV of Belarus in straight games. Alexey LIVENTSOV of Russia followed his path joined by Elias RANEFUR of Sweden Joe SEYFRIED of France Patryk ZATOWKA of Poland… In Women’s Singles Event Chiara COLANTONI of Italy was stretched to six games against Emily BOLTON of England but managed to win Valeria SHCHERBATYKH of Russia needed one less to beat Anastasiya YEPIFANTSEVA of Russia. Another Russia’s player Daria CHERNORAY create an upset and beat Laura PFEFER of France the top seed in group 8. In the group stage of the Under 21 Women’s Singles event on home soil in their opening contests Tatsiana CHAKAVAYA Darya KISEL and Mahartya BALTUSHITE all impressed all emerged successful. CHAKAVAYA beat Ukraine’s Anastasiya YEPIFANTSEVA KISEL overcame Poland’s Julia SZYMCZAK whilst BALTUSHITE accounted for Russia’s Raisa SHIRYAEVA. In Under 21 Men’s singles event ZOU Hancheng beat Denmark’s Andras DILLING by the very narrowest of margins; SHEN Zhesong recovered from a two games to nil deficit to overcome Russia’s Andrey SEMENOV SUN Zheng prevailed in opposition to Belgium’s Laurens Devos.
ETTU President Ronald KRAMER visits Linz
“I am impressed by what the clubs in Linz are doing for the development of women’s top table tennis” stressed Ronald KRAMER ETTU President Ronald KRAMER has visited Sportpark Lissfeld in Linz one of the most important places for development of women’s table tennis in Europe. He had a warm reception in the club guided by Gunther and Robert RENNER. “I am impressed by what the clubs in Linz are doing for the development of women’s top table tennis. I think it is quite unique how Günther and Robert RENNER have built this up: excellent!” stressed Ronald KRAMER. Linz AG Froschberg was two-time ECLW winner and one of most respectable participants of this prestigious competition since its foundation. In the ongoing 2018/19 ECLW season Linz is represented by two clubs Linz AG Froschberg and LZ Froschberg. “What an honour for the international training centre located at the Sportpark Lissfeld in Linz: ETTU President Ronald KRAMER visited the specially for women and girls dedicated high performance location. The tour through the Sportpark was guided by Robert and Günther RENNER from the local clubs Linz AGFroschberg LZ Froschberg and SPG Linz who are also running the Austrian TT National Team base at the same location” stated Austrian club.
ETTU President Ronald KRAMER visits Linz
“I am impressed by what the clubs in Linz are doing for the development of women’s top table tennis” stressed Ronald KRAMER ETTU President Ronald KRAMER has visited Sportpark Lissfeld in Linz one of the most important places for development of women’s table tennis in Europe. He had a warm reception in the club guided by Gunther and Robert RENNER. “I am impressed by what the clubs in Linz are doing for the development of women’s top table tennis. I think it is quite unique how Günther and Robert RENNER have built this up: excellent!” stressed Ronald KRAMER. Linz AG Froschberg was two-time ECLW winner and one of most respectable participants of this prestigious competition since its foundation. In the ongoing 2018/19 ECLW season Linz is represented by two clubs Linz AG Froschberg and LZ Froschberg. “What an honour for the international training centre located at the Sportpark Lissfeld in Linz: ETTU President Ronald KRAMER visited the specially for women and girls dedicated high performance location. The tour through the Sportpark was guided by Robert and Günther RENNER from the local clubs Linz AGFroschberg LZ Froschberg and SPG Linz who are also running the Austrian TT National Team base at the same location” stated Austrian club.
